Chapter 31
I lay in bed, more than halfway through the book Marissa had sent me at approximately three thirty A.M. The time stamp didn’t surprise me.
Many writers were nocturnal creatures. I’d started it at five thirty A.M. when I’d woken up to pee, untangled myself from Oliver’s arms, and checked my email as I sat on the toilet.
It was now eight thirty. That’s how good the book was.
So good it was making me giddy, unable to go back to sleep.
I hoped I wasn’t being influenced by my after-sex high and that it really was that good.
Oliver stirred beside me, rolling over, snaking his arm around my waist and nuzzling his face into my neck. I couldn’t get over how good it felt to have him there—the weight of him against me, his warmth.
“You’re awake?” he mumbled.
“Reading.”
“Guess we should’ve gotten just one room after all.”
“It’s not too late,” I said.
He groaned as he stretched. “You make a good point. What time is it?”
The room was still dark, the blackout curtains drawn over the windows. It could’ve just as easily been four A.M. as noon. “It’s eight thirty.”
His fingers lazily traced lines across my bare stomach as he let out a happy sigh. All my parts tingled to life.
“How long have you been up?” he asked in a voice deep from sleep.
“Long enough to know that as long as Marissa doesn’t screw up the ending of this book, I’m going to offer her representation.”
He propped himself on his elbow. “That’s huge, Margot. Should we celebrate with some morning sex?”
I laughed and stretched my arm out to deposit my phone onto the nightstand.
“I was kidding,” he said, pulling my arm back. “You keep reading. I’ll get us some breakfast.”
“And then sex?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Is it the book or me?”
I laughed. “The book is sexy, but it’s you.”
“Is this what Kari had in mind when she paid you for this weekend?”
“Kari would love this. She is the queen of romance.”
He smiled and hovered his upper body over where I still lay, sheet up to my chin. “Is this romantic?” He kissed my neck, hitting a ticklish spot.
My shoulders shot up and I laughed. This time, I really did abandon my phone on the nightstand. “Yes, so romantic.” I draped my arms around his neck.
He kissed along my jaw to my cheek and then the very corner of my mouth before he lowered his weight onto me. I could feel all of him through the thin layer of sheet, but even so, that layer felt like a barrier.
“I’m getting breakfast first,” he said as his mouth moved to my neck.
“Okay,” I said, working the sheet out from between us, freeing my breasts first and then my stomach.
His chest against mine created a friction that radiated through me and vibrated between my legs.
As if he sensed the energy existing there, he freed me from the rest of the sheet, and his finger pressed against my opening.
He felt sleep-warm and perfect against me and I wanted him closer.
“Yes,” I said, when he didn’t go any farther.
He slid his finger inside, and as if realizing just how ready I’d been for him, he added another, finding the spot he’d mapped out three years ago.
I bucked against him, unable to control my reaction to the sheer pleasure he unearthed in me. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to go faster than I want,” I muttered against his ear.
“Nothing would make me happier,” he said, curving his fingers slightly.
I let out a moan of ecstasy, pushing myself against his hand.
He continued working that spot inside for several more minutes.
I tried to make it last, but when he drew my nipple into his mouth, it only took two swipes of his tongue before I could no longer hold back.
I cried out his name as waves of pleasure coursed through my body.
He continued the actions that got me there until the tremors died down.
Then he rolled onto his side and pulled me against him, tucking me into the bend of his neck, our breathing labored.
My hand moved down his side, and even though I could feel how much he wanted it, before I could return the favor, he said, “Breakfast.” He kissed my cheek and sprung out of bed.
“I hope you’re putting some clothes on first,” I said as I watched his completely bare backside head for the bathroom.
“I’ll think about it.”
“You have a nice ass!” I called as he shut the bathroom door.
“Squats. Lots of squats!” came his muffled reply.
I let out a satisfied hum and continued to read.
He was right. I was here for Kari and videos. We needed to get out and see more of the town today even though all I wanted to do was stay in bed all day and be ravaged.
Oliver poked his head out of the bathroom. “There’s toothpaste all over the floor and counter. Any idea what happened in here last night?”
“I’ll never be able to look at toothpaste again without getting wet. That’s what happened.”
“That could be a problem,” he said. “A lifelong problem.”
“You don’t sound sorry.”
“Should I be?”
“No.”
He gave a throaty laugh and dug through his suitcase, pulling on underwear, a tee, and some athletic shorts. “Any requests for breakfast? I haven’t eaten that meal with you yet.”
“I’m not a big breakfast person. But I could go for some coffee and some form of carb. I’ve been burning some calories.”
“You went to the hotel gym?”
“No, I meant—”
He looked over his shoulder at me with his teasing smile.
“Right, sarcasm. I should’ve picked up on that.”
“I’ll see you in a few. I want to hear all about that book when I get back.” He started to leave, then turned around and gave me a quick peck before he left me. I counted to ten before I called Sloane.
“Did Rob get a hold of you?” is how she answered.
That name wiped the smile right off my face. “Rob? No. And how could you possibly know he’s trying to get a hold of me when you’re out of town?”
“He called me.”
“He called you ?” I was so confused. I pulled my phone away from my ear and saw two missed calls from yesterday. They must’ve come in when I didn’t have service in the silo. I hadn’t noticed the missed-call notification. Who else had he called in search of me? “What does he want?”
“I don’t know. I told him to piss off.”
“You did?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Just ignore him. You know how he is.”
“Yes, I know exactly how he is. I’m glad you finally see it too. Hey, I can’t talk. I’m literally on my way into a short film showing but I love you and whatever you are going to tell me I really want to hear later.”
“It will keep,” I said. I hung up kind of relieved I didn’t actually tell her about the book I was reading or the amazing sex I’d had. I got to keep it for myself a little longer, and that made it feel all the more special.
I settled back into the book, and after thirty minutes or so of reading, the progress bar at the bottom of my screen said I was seventy-five percent done.
You love this book, just make an offer .
The thought came to me in my own voice. It was time to start trusting that voice, even if she did lead with her emotions. If the last twenty-five percent of the book fell apart, we could make it better.
I got out of bed and pulled on one of the hotel robes.
I didn’t need to make my first offer in the buff, although that could’ve been a funny memory to pull up in the future.
I brushed my teeth because that seemed important too.
Oliver must’ve cleaned up the mess we’d made the night before because there was no longer toothpaste on the floor or countertops.
Then I opened the curtains and sliding glass door and stepped onto the balcony.
The phone rang once, twice, three times. My entire body stilled as I listened, my breath, my movements, my heart even, it seemed.
“Hello,” came the tentative voice of Marissa through the phone.
“Hi, Marissa. It’s Margot Hart.”
“Hi. Hi!” she said. “How are you, Ms. Hart?”
“I’m great. I’m almost done with your book and I couldn’t help myself, I needed to call. It’s brilliant.”
“You like it?” she asked.
“I love it. I can think of several editors who would love it too.”
“You can?” she asked.
“Absolutely. I’d love to represent you.”
“I… That’s… That’s awesome.” Her words came out haltingly, but I could tell it was from excitement, not hesitation.
“I’d take you out to about six to eight editors to start and see what their feedback was.
If we needed a second round, we’d go out to six or eight more.
” I loathed Rob with all my heart, but he had given me a good script to work with over the years.
I felt comfortable talking to authors and editors. “What do you think about that plan?”
“It sounds great. Can I have some time to think and let the other agents who have my manuscript know I have an offer?”
This wasn’t an out-of-the-ordinary request. It was pretty standard, actually. “Of course. How much time do you need?”
“A week? Is that okay?”
“Yes. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. I love this book and would be honored to work with you.” Arms wrapped around me from behind and I jumped, nearly letting out a yelp. I settled back against Oliver’s chest.
“Thank you, Ms. Hart. I really appreciate your interest,” Marissa said. “I’m excited.”
“Me too. I look forward to hearing from you.”
We disconnected the call.
“You scared me,” I said, looking out at our view, which was mainly a parking lot. But in the distance was a vineyard, uniform rows of vines lining the side of a hill, the sun blasting them with light.
“Sorry, I thought you heard me come in.”
I turned in his hold and stretched up to wrap my arms around his neck.
“Was that Kari?” he asked, referring to my phone call.
“No, that was Marissa, the author of the book I’m reading. I offered her representation.”
He pulled back from me, a look of surprise on his face. “Why don’t you seem more excited about this?”
I smiled up at him. “I am. She just hasn’t accepted yet. I will save my excitement for when she does.”
He lifted me into a hug. “I will spend my excitement now.”
“I could get you even more excited,” I said in his ear. “It’s your turn.”
He lowered me back to my feet. “Don’t you want breakfast first?”
I undid the tie on my robe, letting it fall open. “Does it look like I want breakfast first?”
He took hold of the open sides of the robe and pulled me forward and into the room by them. “God, you’re beautiful.”
“You are too,” I said. “And you have entirely too many clothes on that beautiful body.”
“Yeah?” he said, slipping his hand into my robe and around my waist. He trailed kisses along my jaw and down my neck.
“Yes.” I stepped back, detaching him from me, and took hold of the bottom of his shirt, working it up his body. “I hear you’re rideable. I would like to see if this is true.”
He helped me finish pulling his shirt over his head and then flung it onto the chair beside us. “Only for a carrot.”
I laughed, then let my hand trail beneath the waistband of his shorts, where I grabbed hold of him. “Is this the figurative carrot she was referring to?”
A spasm went through him, causing him to jerk in my grip. “Considering she promised it to me , I doubt it.”
“Well, I could be motivated by this promise.”
He let out a growling laugh that made my cheeks go warm. He tugged me even closer by the sides of my robe, then peeled it off of me. I relieved him of his shorts, then pushed him back onto the bed, where I climbed on top of him. My hair draped down like a curtain around us.
“Thank you for coming with me this weekend,” I said.
“It’s been a real hardship,” he teased, pulling me down to his lips.
“Do you ever wish we hadn’t given up so easily three years ago?” I asked. “When we first went out.”
“We were both in a different place. It might not have worked out. It’s better here… now.” His hand cupped my cheek, his eyes assuring me that this was the time. And as his hands moved down my body, touching me, coaxing me, caressing me, I agreed.